It's interesting to see the output of the different renderers. This is a straight output from each Template ( except for MR and Turtle where I cranked up the AA ).

By default VRay ( my renderer choice now ) is the slower because it's Indirect Quality Settings are much much higher than MR or Turtle that are at a really low quality by default ( Lowering the Indirect Quality make it the faster).

Turtle Background mismatch the other renderers because it's currently using a Geometry Sphere for the different components ( Lighting / Reflection / Background ) so depending where is your camera in the Scene, you will get some shifts.

Mental Ray has a strange Shadow shift I noticed since I started VRay Template, it got confirmed by Turtle Renders that match VRay ones. Not sure where it coming from, I didn't really looked into this issue.

RenderMan For Maya is using Occlusion on this Render ( I did'nt tried the Color Bleeding Option ).

Next planned update for sIBL_GUI is a ReWire Tool so it's possible to switch Background, Reflection and Lighting Components, and even assign arbitrary maps to them.

Don't hesistate if you have features request or ideas, or need for specific stuff, the good thing is that since it's template based, you can easily modify / adjust them for your needs.

KS

leif3d

08-23-2009, 05:13 PM

This looks like an incredibly useful tool.
Are there any plans to release it for RfM?

Kel Solaar

08-23-2009, 05:28 PM

No I didn't thought about it but yes it could be done :)
I'm downloading the Eval while writting this, I can't promise doing it immediatly though. Btw do you know if the Eval is a Timelimit or Watermarked Render ?

KS

leif3d

08-23-2009, 05:46 PM

The RfM eval has no time limit, it is very watermarked though.
Having this tool would be incredible :)

Thanks for all your efforts.

Kel Solaar

08-23-2009, 06:33 PM

Ok that sounds perfect :)

KS

Kel Solaar

08-23-2009, 07:29 PM

Leif : I just installed the RFM Eval to try it a bit, but I'm facing a problem :

I tried to work in Linear, so like I do with MTor I set, the Exposure to 1.0 / 2.2, my framebuffer is ok, then I created a RenderManEnvLight, but I have no control over the Gamma of Environment Image ( there is Bias and Gain but no Gamma ), that's a bit annoying because the Environment is definitely showing wrong in the Render and should receive a DeGamma. Since it's kind of a blackbox I'm a bit stuck :( What's your workflow with IBL Lighting and RFM ?

KS

leif3d

08-24-2009, 01:31 PM

If the gamma is embedded in the image, then I usually de-Gamma in Photoshop. When working with HDRI's it's usually not a problem, because they should be treated linearly.

But yeah, I do get the same inconsistencies many times and I just end up cranking down the intensity as the Official Courseware suggests.
I never found this to be the most precise solution though. This will obviously not maintain the range and color fidelity of the image.

I'll post this in the Pixar forums.

leif3d

08-24-2009, 01:41 PM

I'm sure this will get many RM users very excited:bowdown:

Edit:

Why did this post jump on top of yours if I posted afterward?
weird...

Kel Solaar

08-24-2009, 01:43 PM

Yes I posted a thread there about this issue : https://renderman.pixar.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13062

I will try ( I said try :) ) to get a first release tonight after getting back at home, I started the Template while saving some huge PSD :) , and with the Environment Light it should be fairly easy.

KS

danlefeb

08-24-2009, 02:31 PM

Wow, this looks awesome. I can't wait to get some free time to play with this! Thank you for your work on this Thomas!

Kel Solaar

08-24-2009, 11:23 PM

Wow, this looks awesome. I can't wait to get some free time to play with this! Thank you for your work on this Thomas!

Thank you Kel Solaar for your amazing setup!!! I have a few questions, I am using the GUI version to choose the hdri image then selecting which renderer in the other tab I'd like to use. Once done I output the script then load it via Maya, is this the correct usage? And my next question would be I notice that a plane is put in the scene to act as a shadow catcher is that correct for any floor surfaces? If thats the case when I use it with Mental Ray it seems to be correct in only displaying the shadow of my objects, but when I use vray it renders the plane without it being hidden. Maybe its me doing the whole process wrong, just wanted to ask and make sure...Thanks!

Kel Solaar

08-25-2009, 12:46 AM

Thank you Kel Solaar for your amazing setup!!! I have a few questions, I am using the GUI version to choose the hdri image then selecting which renderer in the other tab I'd like to use. Once done I output the script then load it via Maya, is this the correct usage?

Yes but even better, you can directly send the Loader Script to Maya, you need to open the Socket Port that sIBL_GUI uses ( 2048 by default ) and use the "Send To Software" button.

Use this mel command to open the port in Maya :

commandPort -n":2048";

And my next question would be I notice that a plane is put in the scene to act as a shadow catcher is that correct for any floor surfaces? If thats the case when I use it with Mental Ray it seems to be correct in only displaying the shadow of my objects, but when I use vray it renders the plane without it being hidden. Maybe its me doing the whole process wrong, just wanted to ask and make sure...Thanks!

No actualy u r right :) I don't know if VRay has a Shadow Catching Shader, so basically the ground is created with the Default Lambert, you btw have an option in the Additional Attributes to prevent it's creation.

KS

treedee

08-25-2009, 01:06 AM

Yes but even better, you can directly send the Loader Script to Maya, you need to open the Socket Port that sIBL_GUI uses ( 2048 by default ) and use the "Send To Software" button.

Use this mel command to open the port in Maya :

commandPort -n":2048";

No actualy u r right :) I don't know if VRay has a Shadow Catching Shader, so basically the ground is created with the Default Lambert, you btw have an option in the Additional Attributes to prevent it's creation.

KS

Great! Thank you for the info and the great time saver...

andrewhake

08-25-2009, 01:27 AM

This is fantastic. One thing you may consider doing when you have the time is creating basic walk-trough videos for each different template to make sure everyone that would like to try it out has a good understanding.

Amazing work!

leif3d

08-25-2009, 01:32 AM

Thanks ! :)

Leif : I got something for you :bounce:

RenderMan For Maya Template !

KS

You're the man! :bowdown:

Kel Solaar

08-25-2009, 10:18 AM

Thanks for the Feedback guys ! If you have any suggestions Leif, don't hesitate.

One thing you may consider doing when you have the time is creating basic walk-trough videos for each different template to make sure everyone that would like to try it out has a good understanding.

It's a time consuming task I can't really focus on ( not meaning I'll not do it in the future ). I'm really flooded lately, but if you have any questions or doubts I'll do my best to reply / clear them :)

KS

leif3d

08-25-2009, 04:16 PM

I can't get the port open on my computer.
Is there anything I should be aware of?
Is my IP supposed to be changed to the default gateway?

I can create the scene with the third icon, but the "send to software" button gives me a "remote connection failed on Port: 2048."

I'm not sure if that matters or not...

I'm running Maya 2009 X64 on Vista x64 BTW.

The other thing I noticed was that you are turning on Shadowing with the Specular ENV light in Renderman. It should only need shadowing in the Diffuse ENV light.

The background shader you made is confusing me a bit. Is it supposed to be used for the floor?

BTW, the whole setup looks great. :)

Kel Solaar

08-25-2009, 05:23 PM

I can't get the port open on my computer.
Is there anything I should be aware of?
Is my IP supposed to be changed to the default gateway?

I can create the scene with the third icon, but the "send to software" button gives me a "remote connection failed on Port: 2048."

I'm not sure if that matters or not...

I'm running Maya 2009 X64 on Vista x64 BTW.

Mmmh you are not alone with this issue on Vista x64 or Maya 2K9 x64 on Vista x64. I think it's something related to Vista over security ( it's fine on XP x64 ).

I guess you have opened the port already :
commandPort -n":2048";

and are receiving an error like this :
// Error: line 1: :2048 : is already open. //

If there is no problem you should see :
Command Port Is Active !
if not I think we will need to dive into that issue.

The other thing I noticed was that you are turning on Shadowing with the Specular ENV light in Renderman. It should only need shadowing in the Diffuse ENV light.
Yes I'll fix this :)

The background shader you made is confusing me a bit. Is it supposed to be used for the floor?

If you mean the Surface Shader that is on the Nurbs Sphere ? No it's just to have a background, I did it this way because I already have the code from the Turtle Template, but if there is a better way, let me know I'll try to make it into the Template

BTW, the whole setup looks great. :)
Thanks :)

KS

Edit : I checked with a mate that have Windows 7 and Maya 2009 x64 and I'm getting a "Connection Refused" Error. I think you have the same on Vista x64. Let me know.

Kel Solaar

08-25-2009, 10:15 PM

I updated the Reflection Light incorrect Occlusion behavior.

KS

treedee

08-26-2009, 08:03 PM

I am also getting the connection error issue from the GUI...followed instructions prior to that, and tried the suggested python method as well.

Kel Solaar

08-26-2009, 08:25 PM

Hi treedee o/

Are you also on Vista x64 / Windows 7 x64 ? And the Python code is failing ? ( Connection Refused )

KS

treedee

08-26-2009, 09:13 PM

Hi treedee o/

Are you also on Vista x64 / Windows 7 x64 ? And the Python code is failing ? ( Connection Refused )

Ok, I can't really help currently because I don't have Windows 7 and I'm on Mac Os X but I'm getting it to install it and try that thing. It's something related to Windows Security Policy and Maya Socket Connection, or maybe a bug in Maya itself.

Once I'll have my hands on Windows 7 I'll be able to search around and I hope I'll find what's the cause of all this.

Basically, it lets you ReWire / Remap the different Components to either another Component or whatever Image you want. It's something easy but really powerfull because with this feature you can nearlly dynamically generate your IBL Sets by taking whatever Image you want.

You can for example keep the Background of your current Set, Change it's lighting with the Lighting of another IBL Set and finally use a custom image for the Reflections.

And finally with this you can just use sIBL_GUI to load whatever HDR you want and have a fast and easy setup.

Following that ReWire Widget I created 3 Blank Skeletton Sets I called ReWires. They contain nothing and are empty but they are terribly usefull for the last point I suggested because you can create a simple HDRI Setup in a matter of seconds using one of the provided Skelettons Rewire Sets.

and I have a weird workaround it sounds like you need to open the port by specifying the "Localhost" Ip Adress ( 127.0.0.1 ) of the computer and open it back without any IP Adress like this :

commandPort -n "127.0.0.1:2048";
commandPort -n ":2048";

It's working on 2 computers here, let me know how it's doing for you guys.

KS

treedee

08-27-2009, 04:43 PM

Confirmed...working on my OS X side. Will try PC later tonight when I get home...Thanks Question, once we open these ports with this command, does Maya keep them open or do we have to re-type the command on every start of Maya?

Kel Solaar

08-27-2009, 05:03 PM

Confirmed...working on my OS X side. Will try PC later tonight when I get home...Thanks Question, once we open these ports with this command, does Maya keep them open or do we have to re-type the command on every start of Maya?

No you have to open it each time, or put the 2 lines in your userSetup.mel.

There is a sIBL_GUI shelf available here : http://kelsolaar.hdrlabs.com/?dir=./sIBL_Framework/Maya/Helper%20Script

The first button make the Port Open in 2 clicks, if that make sense I'll add an option so the Shelf can automatically edit the userSetup.

KS

treedee

08-27-2009, 10:40 PM

Thank you for the info!

Kel Solaar

08-28-2009, 12:04 PM

I did not had time to make the code for the userSetup edit ( it's a bit long and complex for such a little thing ). If you have the Maya Helper Script you can add those 2 lines in your userSetup.mel :

I'm not creating an extra camera for the pass currently, because it's a bit hard to setup, but if that's help, I can do it.

Have Fun !

KS

leif3d

09-01-2009, 12:41 AM

Hi,

I added Color Bleeding Option for the sexiness of it to the RfM Template, with creation of the associated Bake Pass.

Nice! :)

I'm not creating an extra camera for the pass currently, because it's a bit hard to setup, but if that's help, I can do it.

Have Fun !

KS

As long as you don't have objects outside the shot that will contribute to radiosity, it should be ok.
Remember that Renderman doesn't dice objects that are outside of the camera view.

I was thinking that maybe you could use the directional light as a camera to generate the point cloud. Or maybe a camera that constraints itself to this light.

Sybexmed

09-01-2009, 08:41 AM

Wonderful plugin! Cant thank you enough!

I ran into a little problem, i'm trying to disable visibility in the render of the background. But i'm not able to, i disable primary visibility but it doesn't work?

EDIT: Nevermind, i found the background checkbox :)

Kel Solaar

09-01-2009, 09:35 PM

Nice! :)

As long as you don't have objects outside the shot that will contribute to radiosity, it should be ok.
Remember that Renderman doesn't dice objects that are outside of the camera view.

I was thinking that maybe you could use the directional light as a camera to generate the point cloud. Or maybe a camera that constraints itself to this light.

I'll check around that, but the annoying thing is to fit the Bake Camera, there is a lot of different ways, especially depending the detail you want in the PTC. The thing that make sense for me is to use a modified version of the Render Camera.
I have no real ideas for now :)

Wonderful plugin! Cant thank you enough!

Thank you :) Glad you like it !

KS

leif3d

09-02-2009, 05:59 AM

I'll check around that, but the annoying thing is to fit the Bake Camera, there is a lot of different ways, especially depending the detail you want in the PTC. The thing that make sense for me is to use a modified version of the Render Camera.
I have no real ideas for now :)

I believe the point cloud detail is not dependant on the the camera view, so it doesn't really matter how far the camera is.

It's just like you said, the camera position is gonna affect how many points are gonna be stored based on how many times the baking shader will be computed.
Selecting a baking camera can depend on many factors, it really depends on your needs. I'd say a good solution to obtain constant file size/quality it's to retrieve the bounding box of your object and create a camera based on this (ie you could change your render camera and not be affected, for example with a moving one).
Btw good job kel!

leif3d

09-03-2009, 03:17 PM

I guess you guys could be right about the bake cam.
I thought the quality depended on the shading rate of the point cloud or the max variation of the brick maps.
I thought the camera was just to tell Renderman what objects to dice.

I couldn't find any docs on the camera affecting the bake, but you guys have been using this renderer more than I have, so I'll take your word. :)

Kel Solaar

09-03-2009, 09:12 PM

It's just like you said, the camera position is gonna affect how many points are gonna be stored based on how many times the baking shader will be computed.
Selecting a baking camera can depend on many factors, it really depends on your needs. I'd say a good solution to obtain constant file size/quality it's to retrieve the bounding box of your object and create a camera based on this (ie you could change your render camera and not be affected, for example with a moving one).
Btw good job kel!

Thanks for the clarification :)

I guess you guys could be right about the bake cam.
I thought the quality depended on the shading rate of the point cloud or the max variation of the brick maps.
I thought the camera was just to tell Renderman what objects to dice.

I couldn't find any docs on the camera affecting the bake, but you guys have been using this renderer more than I have, so I'll take your word. :)

I was using Mtor, but it could have been different in RfM not logical but hey :)

I'm planning to add a Renderer ComboBox, because it starts to be a mess with so many Templates, and for VRay you have 2 of them for example.

KS

Kel Solaar

10-11-2009, 01:55 AM

Hello :)

sIBL_GUI 2.1.1 Is Out !

- sIBL_GUI_FTP is now starting Download automatically when invoked, "Start Download" Button has been removed.
- sIBL_GUI now restores the last visited folder.
- Render Combo Box added in the Import Tab ( Usefull when you have multiple Templates for a Renderer ).

Btw I got a merging issue with my VCS software, if you see weird stuff with Templates ( they should be fixed but it's a lot of lines ) don't hesitate to report it !

Have Fun !

KS

Kel Solaar

05-25-2010, 09:27 PM

Ladies en Gentlemen,

After a few months of work, I'm happy to announce that sIBL_GUI 3 is finally available and out of the cooker !

Here is the release thread on CGTalk : http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=59&t=885839

Notice that there is currently no Linux build for now ( I failed freezing the application ), though it's fairaly easy to grab the source code from github : http://github.com/KelSolaar/sIBL_GUI and launch directly the python module from there.

The application has been fully rewritten, and features some cool things :

- Component Framework : The Software is now component based, meaning you can extend the functionalities of sIBL_GUI easily and tweak or modify directly the provided components.

- Customizable Ui Layout : Most of the Ui Components are movable, closable and resizable, meaning that you can put them wherever you want in the interface and store / restore the layouts.

- Sqlite Database : Sets, Templates and Collections informations are stored in a database, it's now easier to organise your Collections the way you want without having to move your files around everywhere on the hard drive. You can add Sets one by one if you want.

- Google Map based Gps Map : The Gps Map is now Google Map based, no need for an explanation, it's much better :)

- Search Database : The search engine offers new possibilities, you can now search in a range of time, to get all Sunset Ibls for example.

Maya Mental Ray Template has been fixed, there was and issue when a camera is parented under "sIBL" group.

I also spotted a strange behavior on Windows 7 :
I don't really know what I did, but the other day I installed Softimage 2011 - x64, Visual C# 2010, tweaked a few security settings on my Windows 7 ( Uac, etc ) and since then, if I don't launch sIBL_GUI as Administrator, the application is really slow to startup.
I tried to figure out what was the change, but didn't really managed.

KS

pixelweave

06-01-2010, 06:38 PM

First of all, THANKS for your wonderful application!

I've found the following error after upgrading to 3.06. I did an uninstall of 3.05 before upgrading. The application loads, but it crashes every time, right before the GUI comes up.

Kel Solaar

06-01-2010, 06:44 PM

First of all, THANKS for your wonderful application!

I've found the following error after upgrading to 3.06. I did an uninstall of 3.05 before upgrading. The application loads, but it crashes every time, right before the GUI comes up.

Mmmh, I see what portion of the code is responsible for that crash ( certainly the threaded scanners ), I didn't think it would happen and that's a really annoying problem. Can you tell me what os you are running ?

Would you mind trying this version : sIBL_GUI-3.0.6-HotFix.rar (http://kelsolaar.hdrlabs.com/sIBL_GUI/Support/Others/sIBL_GUI-3.0.6-HotFix.rar)

It did run on 2 Windows XP box I have here at home ( 32 bit though, I don't have x64 here ).

KS

pixelweave

06-01-2010, 08:38 PM

Just tried it. The GUI loaded further than before, then I got this dialog box (see attachment), which I clicked. It then crashed. I then relaunched the application and ignored this dialog box. It loaded fully, and asked me if I wanted to update a template (which I said yes to), it then crashed again.

pixelweave

06-01-2010, 08:40 PM

I noticed the following after ignoring the dialog box the second time around - multiply icons of the collections. I had the same problem with this in 3.05, but I just deleted them.

Kel Solaar

06-01-2010, 08:55 PM

This is either issues with SQLite and multithreading, if that's the case I'll have to rework the way I implemented my threaded workers, or it's an issue with your db file.
Could you try remove your sIBL_GUI preferences ( C:\Documents and Settings\$USER\Application Data\HDRLabs\sIBL_GUI ), then make a shortcut to sIBL_GUI.exe and append -v 4 to the target field of the shortcut, then launch the shortcut, sIBL_GUI will start with verbose set to debug, try adding stuff back, then restart, if it's crash again I would be really happy if you can send me the log file in the preferences logging directory.

I'm really sorry mate it doesn't work for you.

KS

Kel Solaar

06-01-2010, 08:57 PM

Oh and I don't mind having your database file also :) ( the sqlite one in the prefs folder :) )

KS

pixelweave

06-01-2010, 09:17 PM

I did as you told, and deleted the preferences. It started just fine, but without the redundant collections. It also popped up a question dialog box. If I say Yes to the dialog box, the program crashes, if I say No to the dialog box, things work - so far.

Which address should I email the database to?

Kel Solaar

06-01-2010, 09:21 PM

I would like both the logging file and the database please, at this adress : kelsolaar_fool "at" hotmail "dot" com

Thanks for your time :)

KS

RagingBull

06-02-2010, 12:02 PM

Thank you for the vimeo uploads :thumbsup:

Sybexmed

06-02-2010, 04:19 PM

Thank you for the vimeo uploads :thumbsup:

what vimeo uploads?

Kel Solaar

06-05-2010, 05:16 PM

Hey :)

sIBL_GUI 3.0.7 is out with some enhancements and bug fixes :)

Some interesting features of this release are new command line parameters.
I also modified the way I was accessing to the db with multiple threads, it should bring more stability.

I started a FAQ that I'll finish a bit later this weekend so that it features last remaining important informations here : http://www.hdrlabs.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1271612491

KS

Kel Solaar

06-13-2010, 09:20 PM

Hi o/

sIBL_GUI 3.0.8 is out !

The application should not crash anymore when loading corrupted Ibl Sets or Templates.

sIBL_GUI is now natively built on Windows 7, it should fix the slowdown issues on startup.

I implemented dragNdrop in the three major database components, meaning that you can directly drag Folders, Templates and Ibls Sets into the application. :bounce:

Here is the full Change Log :

sIBL_GUI - 3.0.8 :

sIBL_GUI For Windows now is natively built on Windows 7, this should fix the slow startup issues reported on Windows Vista / 7.
Implemented dragNdrop in various components ( Network paths are currently not supported on Windows Vista / 7 ) :

Database Browser Component : You can dragNdrop Ibl Sets folders or Ibl Sets files directly from the Os.
Collections Outliner Component : You can also dragNdrop folders or Ibl Sets files directly from the Os.
Templates Outliner Component : You can dragNdrop Templates folders or Templates files directly from the Os.

Made the code stronger when sIBL_GUI deals with corrupted Ibl / Templates Files.
Refactored portions of the exceptions handling code.

Have Fun o/

KS

Redsand1080

06-14-2010, 04:48 AM

Awesome! That really is an amazing app. you guys have created. I look forward to trying out the new build! :)

SePu

06-14-2010, 05:17 AM

This is an awesome tool .... thanks so much !

Kel Solaar

06-14-2010, 10:44 AM

This is an awesome tool .... thanks so much !

Glad you like it :)

Awesome! That really is an amazing app. you guys have created. I look forward to trying out the new build! :)

Thanks ! I think ( hope ) this build should solve the last remaining critical issues around. The last crash reports I got were due to some corrupted ibls sets with non ascii characters. The sets were fixed and reuploaded, and sIBL_GUI should skip them if they are corrupted.

KS

RagingBull

06-15-2010, 10:23 PM

Hi Thomas,

When you post could you post a link to the page with the latest download, as well as your great vid links on vimeo ?
:buttrock:

Both Maya VRay Templates were updated with support for Shadow Catching Ground and VRaySun light ( it will be used by defaut for the sun now, giving nice shadowing and colors ).

I have some issues though with the ground, there are GI artifacts when the ground is told to receive GI. Notice that I'm encountering also kind of compositing problem ( Check around the sphere on the example rendering ). If someone have a workaround I would be more than happy :)

I have an issue where almost none of the nodes that sIBL imports are visible in the Hypershade until I select and expand a camera. For instance, the sIBL_mia_exposure_simple node should be visible under the Utilities tab, among others. Is there a way to reveal these nodes in Hypershade that I'm overlooking? Thanks again.

Kel Solaar

06-18-2010, 11:47 PM

This tool is such a huge time-saver. Thanks a ton.

I have an issue where almost none of the nodes that sIBL imports are visible in the Hypershade until I select and expand a camera. For instance, the sIBL_mia_exposure_simple node should be visible under the Utilities tab, among others. Is there a way to reveal these nodes in Hypershade that I'm overlooking? Thanks again.

Hi :)

Hello,

I'll check the code, but it's maybe because I'm not creating them as shading nodes. Could be fixed in a future release :)

KS

Kel Solaar

07-05-2010, 10:16 PM

Hello :)

I'm pleased to announce that sIBL_GUI 3.0.9 is released !

This version features an Internal Image Previewer ( Thanks to a lot of time spend optimizing Third Party Image format reading with FreeImage Library ).

It's now possible to edit Ibl Sets names directly from the Database Browser by double clicking them.
I also cleaned the code here and there, fixed some errors, a potential crash while dragging a huge amount of Ibl Sets from a Collection to another and some crashes on application exit.

Maya Templates have been reworked to preserve existing scene sIBL setup transformations ( sIBL_Feedback and sIBL_Ground ). The default sIBL_Feedback radius has been reduced, and the sIBL_Ground is now properly fitted to the sIBL_Feedback.

Here is the full Change Log :

sIBL_GUI - 3.0.9 :

sIBL_GUI has now an Internal Image Previewer : You can quickly check your Ibl Sets images by right-clicking the Database Browser and use one of the new "Preview ..." context menu entry. It's also possible to use an External Viewer / Editor by assigning it in the Preferences. Picturenaut is obviously the way to go : "http://www.hdrlabs.com/picturenaut/index.html":http://www.hdrlabs.com/picturenaut/index.html
Refactored the way Third Party Images formats are loaded by using direct memory access and custom FreeImage library build : Third Party Images loading is now 10 to 20 times faster.*
Implemented Ibl Sets database display name edition : Double click an Ibl Set in the Database Browser to edit it's display name.*
"--databaseReadOnly" command line parameter properly disable Database Browser, Collections Outliner and Templates Outliner components dragNdrop capabilities and Collections Outliner component editing capabilities.
Fixed a code regression preventing "Templates Informations" widget display.*
Fixed a potential application crash when dragging multiples Ibl Sets from a Collection to another on Mac Os X.*
Worker Threads are properly terminated on application exit.*
Switched Darwin Installer to DropDmg application : Dmg icons are laid out correctly now.

Have Fun !

KS

ChewyPixels

07-06-2010, 03:36 PM

Thanks for the frequent updates Thomas. I love this tool! :D

Kel Solaar

10-13-2010, 11:36 AM

Hi,

Not much updates on sIBL_GUI / Smart Ibl front mainly because I'm doing my Reel at the moment. However I have opened an Issues list on Github : http://github.com/KelSolaar/sIBL_GUI/issues so that you can post requests, issues etc and see what's pending. You need to be registered though, you can still post your problems here anyway and I'll push them to GitHub.

I have also released the first version of sIBL_Reporter which is a a tool that analyzes, reports informations and runs sanity checks on a provided Smart Ibl Sets Collection.
You can provide either ".zip" or Smart Ibl Sets folders for the analysis.

There is no Windows build right now ( only Darwin ), but I'll do one this week end. This tool will be useful for every one making Smart Ibl sets on their own.

The thread is here : http://www.hdrlabs.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1286752342/2
and the Darwin build here : http://kelsolaar.hdrlabs.com/?dir=./sIBL_Reporter/Repository/Builds/Darwin/Nightly

Cheers,

KS

Kel Solaar

10-24-2010, 09:33 PM

Hi,

Maya Templates have been updated so that rendering nodes created by the sIBL setup are displayed into hypershade.

There is still no Windows build of sIBL_Reporter by the way, I didn't had time to make it.

KS

sentry66

10-24-2010, 10:18 PM

I might be a little slow, but what are the advantages with sIBL vs the renderer's built in stock IBL rendering? Is it faster? If so, has anyone done benchmarks? I'm always hesitant to try 3rd party plugins because sooner or later with a new OS or 3d app, they seem to break

Kel Solaar

10-24-2010, 10:33 PM

I might be a little slow, but what are the advantages with sIBL vs the renderer's built in stock IBL rendering? Is it faster? If so, has anyone done benchmarks? I'm always hesitant to try 3rd party plugins because sooner or later with a new OS or 3d app, they seem to break

Hi Sentry,

Well Smart Ibl / sIBL is not a plugin, it's a set of tools that made Ibl lighting easier and faster, it relies mainly on an Ibl Set that contains 3 maps and an .ibl file describing how to setup the scene. Only Maya factory nodes are used by the setup. As for the breaking stuff, since it's mostly scripts on the 3d packages side, they won't really break easily and if that happen they are easy to fix :)

If you need more info take a look here : http://www.smartibl.com/

KS

SePu

10-25-2010, 04:49 AM

do you think we will see a version of the sEdit app for OSX ?

Kel Solaar

10-25-2010, 08:09 AM

do you think we will see a version of the sEdit app for OSX ?

Hmmm, I know that Chris Huf is working on another version of sIBLedit but I'm not sure if a Mac port is planned. Main issue here is that Chris certainly do not have a Mac machine. Solving this properly usually requires to buy a Mac in the end ( Mac Os in a VM is kind of crap at least when I tried, and running a hackintosh is a difficult way ).

KS

Kel Solaar

11-06-2010, 09:45 AM

Hello,

Brainspoon ( a HDRLabs forum user ) got a very good idea that got implemented in Maya Templates : Ability for the Templates to trigger the execution of another script.

To do that I just added 4 function call in each templates, if the functions are defined, they will be executed otherwise nothing will happen.

From those 4 functions callbacks, 2 are pre process callbacks and executed before the Template execution and 2 are post process callbacks executed after the Template execution.

A set of pre / post callbacks is shared among the templates while the other set is specific to each template :

You basically just need to fill functions like that with whatever you like :

global proc sIBL_Maya_preProcessCallback()
{}

global proc sIBL_Maya_postProcessCallback()
{}

Voilà :)

KS

3DRenderer

11-08-2010, 07:50 PM

Turtle Background mismatch the other renderers because it's currently using a Geometry Sphere for the different components ( Lighting / Reflection / Background ) so depending where is your camera in the Scene, you will get some shifts.

Finally just finished my renders which took about 3 weeks and now when I composite everything, that is exactly whats happening in my scene. It appears that my building is floating ontop of my background, or mis-matching shifting. I have no clue why this is happening and just hope its something simple that Im just over seeing. I really hope I will not have to re-render everything, with the exception to maybe re-render the background layer.

Any help would be great. Thanks

Kel Solaar

11-08-2010, 08:25 PM

Hi,

It's hard to see what's the issue without any image, but anyway if you have aligned your image to the viewport sphere and are experiencing some shift, you can still render the viewport sphere so that you retrieve the alignment you set up in the viewport.

KS

3DRenderer

11-08-2010, 08:42 PM

I have a half second example clip, I just dont know how or where to post it. It seems as if my model and background dont want to play nice together and are experiencing some unwanted results. Could I email you a quick example of what Im talking about.
Thanks

Kel Solaar

11-08-2010, 08:49 PM

Yes !

Can mail me at : kelsolaar_fool [a r o b a s e] hotmail [d o t] com

KS

RickToxik

11-25-2010, 10:21 AM

Wow, you sIBL guys are genius. I'm speechless... + the gui is very neat indeed.

DP

01-11-2011, 07:13 AM

Hi,

I'm expericing some trouble. i have a zbrush model, and everytime i import that into maya, the connection with sIBL breaks. so when i try to send back a new IBL it says it can't find that process.

If i then make a new clean maya scene i can import a new one.

i'm using RFM 4 on the mac.

Kel Solaar

01-11-2011, 08:17 AM

Hi Dennis,

Just out of curiosity, are you using GoZBrush ? And is the error you are experiencing like the one attached ?

KS

DP

01-11-2011, 11:04 AM

Hi Kel,

And thanks for the reply, yes i was using GoZ for the model, but i imported it from another maya file and not directly from Zbrush.

from sIBL i get this message when sending a new IBL

http://dpgrafik.dk/forum/files/dump1.png

But when i press ok, all the nodes created the first time from sIBL disappear
http://dpgrafik.dk/forum/files/dump3.png

And the script editor gives me this message
http://dpgrafik.dk/forum/files/dump2.png :banghead:

Kel Solaar

01-11-2011, 11:55 AM

Dennis,

You spotted a code error that I introduced when I implemented the Automatic Feedback Size Computation. The following templates have been updated : VRay, VRay_DLight, Turtle, RfM. You can grab them using the update.

Let me know if it's ok for you :)

Cheers,

Thomas

DP

01-11-2011, 12:50 PM

Hi Kel,

I've updated the gui and templates, and now it works like a charm.. i'm rendering with RFM 4 :thumbsup:

A tip, could you make and option in the gui template to have it select depth map or better yet deep shadows instead of raytraced shadows?

Kel Solaar

02-05-2011, 07:25 PM

Hi !

Seven months and more than one hundred commits later the new sIBL_GUI release is born : sIBL_GUI 3.1.0. This is a long due maintenance release, nothing much visible in surface except for the Google Maps that have been replaced by Bing Maps ( Because of a breaking issue with latest Google Maps Api and Qt ). However a lot has been changed and improved under the hood, it should fix some of the remaining issues.

sIBL_GUI now uses Python 2.7.1, allowing usage of OrderedDict, Templates attributes are now displayed in correct order.
Replaced Google Maps by Bing Maps : Google Maps support is broken at the moment on Qt Webkit.
Added "--noSplashScreen" command line parameter allowing user to deactivate the splashscreen.
Added support for Templates enums : "lightType = @lightType | Area;Directional;Spot | Enum | Light Type".
Fixed an inconsistency related to the comments in the file parser.
Help files stored on network are now properly opened on Windows.
Modified Ibl Sets now refresh properly within the current session.
Added a new fancy splashscreen image thanks to Bob Groothuis.
Updated Windows icon.
Lots of code refactoring and updates.

Have fun and don't hesitate to contact me if you have issues, problems, etc :)

Dennis : It should be possible now to have a choice between shadow types with a dedicated widget :) I'll look into that whenever I have bit of time ( I need to grab RfM demo first ).

KS

SePu

02-05-2011, 08:14 PM

great dude thanks for all the hard work ...

RickToxik

02-05-2011, 09:46 PM

Thanks again Solaar, I render almost exclusively with sIBL now... I am still troubled by the fact that it is free, but I won't insist too much on that I guess... lol

I have a question on my mind since the beginning of me using sIBL in Maya...

Is there a way to move the sIBL sphere around in the scene? It is always centered at 0 0 0, but sometimes I would love to have it lower, so that we only catch the sky. I know that I can move my scene instead, but sometimes you'd like to avoid that, for obvious reasons you can imagine.

Thanks good old friend

Kel Solaar

02-05-2011, 10:55 PM

Hernan : Thank you ! :)

Eric : Unfortunately the Feedback is locked because I don't know how to link its full transformation matrix into the shaders. Only the Y axis is binded in most of the renderer. If any Mental Ray / VRay guru knows a way for to implement it in the respective renderer I'll do it for sure.

KS

RickToxik

02-05-2011, 11:40 PM

I'll gladly get along with that Solaar, thanks for the reply!

Kel Solaar

02-07-2011, 10:04 PM

Hi :)

I just released a new build ( 3.1.1 ) because I noticed some regressions and an user reported me another critical one on HDRLabs.

Appreciate all of the hard work gone and going into this :beer:
Looking forwards to using it properly in the next few weeks.

Kel Solaar

02-21-2011, 12:42 PM

Hi !

sIBL_GUI 3.1.2 is out !

The "Search Database" component has been reworked and features now a new "In Tags Cloud" search option and a new button to clear up started searchs : http://kelsolaar.hdrlabs.com/sIBL_GUI/Support/Videos/Search_Database.swf

Complete Change Log :

sIBL_GUI - 3.1.2 :

Fixed issues with the “Search Database” component and empty Ibl Set attributes.
Added new “In Tags Cloud” option to the “Search Database” component. It’s now possible to search for multiples keywords in any order either by typing them in the “Search Database” widget or select them in the “Tags Cloud” widget.
“Search Database” widget now has a button to clear the current search.
Implement units tests on sIBL_GUI foundations and manager packages.
Extracted multiple packages to new repositories for better code reusability.

Cheers !

KS

Redsand1080

02-21-2011, 01:35 PM

Awesome work! This is a great tool.

-Justin

Kel Solaar

02-23-2011, 03:37 PM

Hi Kel,

I've updated the gui and templates, and now it works like a charm.. i'm rendering with RFM 4 :thumbsup:

A tip, could you make and option in the gui template to have it select depth map or better yet deep shadows instead of raytraced shadows?

I received RfM 4.0.1 evaluation today so I'll be able to work on that now :)

KS

Kel Solaar

02-23-2011, 03:38 PM

Hi !

sIBL_GUI 3.1.3 is out !

This is an update that I hope will pleased a lot of people : Lights type support is implemented in the Templates ! That mean that one can choose if the lights created by sIBL_GUI will be "Area", "Directional", "Point", "Spot", etc ...

I however have an issue with the Area Light, I don't manage to get proper shadows when the light is far ( at the Feedback edge ) : the shadow is totally black. If somebody has a clue, that would be awesome !

Depending the renderer the lights will feature more or less options.
VRay ones can be textured for instance with good results.
They can connect onto sIBL lights also, and will plug onto them.
Depending the requests etc, I'll certainly refine the light rig, etc...
The templates are released as nightly / beta versions, and will most likely evolve in the future. They should be fairly stable, but lack of warnings, explanation, etc...

Notice that this sIBL_GUI version and it's associated templates is not compatible with previous builds. I also dropped Illuminate Labs Turtle Renderer support since it's not developed anymore.

And the Complete Change Log:

sIBL_GUI - 3.5.0 :

Implemented support for "Lightsmith Lights": http://vimeo.com/20879389
Most of the Templates have been refactored at different level.
Fixed an issue where Ibl Sets were displayed multiple times in the "Database Browser" component.
Dropped support of Illuminate Labs Turtle Renderer.

Enjoy !

KS

jasonhuang1115

03-10-2011, 07:18 PM

Thanks for the great update, Thomas. :thumbsup: Couple questions here:
1. What will be the source of new studio lights? Will there be some more provided with new sIBL sets or one has to make their own studio light HDR texture?

2. How does this extension integrate with current or future sIBL sets? Can one make HDR-textured area lights from hi-rez HDR panorama of current or future sIBL sets?

Kel Solaar

03-10-2011, 08:00 PM

Thanks for the great update, Thomas. :thumbsup: Couple questions here:
1. What will be the source of new studio lights? Will there be some more provided with new sIBL sets or one has to make their own studio light HDR texture?

2. How does this extension integrate with current or future sIBL sets? Can one make HDR-textured area lights from hi-rez HDR panorama of current or future sIBL sets?

Hi Jason :)

Thank you!

1. For now the sets are available here: http://kelsolaar.hdrlabs.com/?dir=./sIBL_GUI/Repository/Sets/Lightsmith Christian will showcase them nicely in the sIBL Archive once he is back from his current trip.

2. The Lightsmith sets are basically 2 objects and an HDR texture. So they are very easy to do. Most of the ones I provide are done by hand :) I have good hope we can grow the collection with more real samples.

Cheers,

KS

jasonhuang1115

03-10-2011, 10:59 PM

Thanks for the response, Thomas. Guess I should start referring to it as "LightSmith". :)
Hope your relocation go smoothly.

RagingBull

04-12-2011, 01:12 PM

Excellent work.
:applause:

Hopefully get a chance today to give it a run.

bigbossfr

04-12-2011, 01:39 PM

Wooo Thomas, great work ! Lightsmith.
I will test it with Vray. :buttrock:

achoury

04-12-2011, 01:44 PM

awesome, I'll give it a try Thanks for your effort
/rachid

RagingBull

04-12-2011, 02:55 PM

Playing around with sIBL now (finally), it's flipping excellent, a lot of hard work has clearly gone into this, and the extra features such as the GPS stuff is amazing.
Also the fact you've supplied very nice HDR's for us to test out is very useful :buttrock:

I have a fairly simple question, I like to work in linear colour space/gamma.
How would you suggest working in LWF with sIBL ?

---------
I'm using the gammaCorrect node on file textures, as well as on the colour input for a normal test material (so it's not overly blown out) rather than the colour management feature. Except in the Render View where by I normally change the 'Image Color Profile' to 'Linear' for previewing my render.
--------

RagingBull

04-13-2011, 11:48 PM

Any pointers ?
Or was my question not written concisely for anyone to decipher ? :drool:

Kel Solaar

04-14-2011, 12:16 AM

Hi,

Sorry I'm a bit busy at work these days, so I'm lagging behind :)
What renderer are you using?

KS

RagingBull

04-14-2011, 01:28 AM

Hi,

Sorry I'm a bit busy at work these days, so I'm lagging behind :)
What renderer are you using?

KS

Hi,

Please don't apologise at all, completely understand :thumbsup:
Ah yes, that was stupid of me not to mention that, with that LWF set-up I'm using mental ray.

djx

04-14-2011, 09:34 AM

I only had a quick look Rob, but LWF seems to be well supported in the sIBL setup. Load one up and have a look at the shader network and the exposure node.

David

RagingBull

04-14-2011, 02:01 PM

I only had a quick look Rob, but LWF seems to be well supported in the sIBL setup. Load one up and have a look at the shader network and the exposure node.

David

I shall certainly take a look shortly David, cheers - I did post that at 3am, so probably very obvious in the light of day :thumbsup:

RagingBull

04-18-2011, 02:01 PM

I only had a quick look Rob, but LWF seems to be well supported in the sIBL setup. Load one up and have a look at the shader network and the exposure node.

David

I think I know what I did that night.
I added another camera and didn't bother to look that the perspective camera had an exposure node. Probably just led to a bit of 3am confusion. :blush:

Kel Solaar

10-22-2011, 08:38 PM

Just a quick post to say that I'm working hard on sIBL_GUI 4! ( And also to avoid the thread being archived :) ).
I'm not that far from a release but still have quite a bit to do :)
Maya templates have been converted to Python among a lot of new stuff :) There should be also more customizability available!

KS

SePu

10-22-2011, 09:09 PM

awesome work Kel .... there is any preview that we can see?

Kel Solaar

10-24-2011, 09:19 PM

Hi :)

Actually nothing users could use :) However here is a preview of the new interface ( The shot is quite old though ):

Awesome I can't wait! I'm actually a little curious, is the setup going to change for MR with the new IBL settings that came with 3.8? I haven't tested it enough yet to know what difference it makes in comparison.

Kel Solaar

10-26-2011, 11:23 PM

Hi Christopher,

I didn't looked much into Templates features for now, I'm on sIBL_GUI itself at the moment, but will do a pass on the Templates when I'm done :)

KS

RagingBull

11-10-2011, 10:33 PM

I hadn't tried out sIBL with vray before so thought I'd have a look this evening...
No problems as such, still great time saving way of testing things out :)

However, I think the template and settings as it comes into Maya could do with a complete re-tweak of vray/scene settings, or perhaps another option/choice before hitting send.
It's not set for a vray physical camera, linear work flow, nor with the vray frame buffer, which is what I'd imagine most users would be doing[?] - well that's what I automatically do for every single scene.
Anyway, just a suggestion :thumbsup:

Kel Solaar

11-10-2011, 10:50 PM

Hi,

Thanks for the feedback :) The more the better, don't hesitate to tell me what you would like to be implemented / change etc, I'll see what I can do to accomodate that!

Cheers,

Thomas

RagingBull

11-11-2011, 12:20 PM

I've started jotting down more of a proper reply but it'll post it up over the weekend as I'm out for now but hopefully it'll be useful or at least a talking point :thumbsup:

Notice that this announcement is cross posted on multiple boards and in CGTalk News sub forum.

HDRLabs, Christian and myself are happy ( And proud :) ) to announce that after more than 7 months of intense and hard work, lost hairs, etc ... sIBL_GUI 4 is finally out!

With over 1250 commits, this release is certainly sIBL_GUI biggest and most important one. Virtually every line of code has been affected in a way or another. sIBL_GUI weights now nearly 60000 lines ( 25000 logic code lines / 35000 code documentation lines ).

* * * Important Notices * * *

"sIBL_GUI 4.0.0" preferences are now stored per version in a directory following this structure : "./HDRLabs/sIBL_GUI/$MAJOR_VERSION.$MINOR_VERSION".

Previous Maya, Softimage / XSI and 3dsMax Helper Scripts are not compatible with sIBL_GUI 4.0.0 and need to be updated if you use them.

Here are some visible highlights:

New unified dark themed Ui.
New Inspect layout to browse your collections using large images preview.
New "Edit" layout featuring Umbra Script Editor to interact directly with sIBL_GUI and the various resources files.
Support for Ibl Sets plates has been added, although not in Templates yet.
Startup speed has been dramatically increased ( Between 4 to 6 times faster, the first launch sIBL_GUI will have to compile the bytecode and will be a bit slower to start ).
Templates settings are now stored / restored for each template.
Maya templates have been ported to Python and feature a cleaner code.
3dsMax and Softimage / XSI templates have been refactored and feature a cleaner code.
64bit release.
The Api has been added using Sphinx documentation system: http://kelsolaar.hdrlabs.com/sIBL_GUI/Support/Documentation/Api/index.html

sIBL_GUI is now built around **Umbra**: https://github.com/KelSolaar/Umbra
sIBL_GUI now features a refreshed new dark Ui theme with new logo, splashscreen and more!
x64 is the default new sIBL_GUI architecture, there won't be anymore support for x86.
sIBL_GUI 4.x.x preferences a now stored per version in "./HDRLabs/sIBL_GUI/$MAJOR_VERSION.$MINOR_VERSION" directory.
A new "Inspect" layout has been implemented, it makes use of the new "PREVIEWfile" attribute of .ibl files and allows you to browse your collections using large preview images.
A new "Edit" layout has been implemented, it features **Umbra** **Script Editor** component and allows you to directly edit Ibl Sets or Templates files and interact with sIBL_GUI.
Support for Ibl Sets plates has been added (Templates don't create them in scenes yet).
Major parts of the underlying architecture have been rewrote for better evolutivity and feature a cleaner code base.
Startup speed has been dramaticaly increased (Non frozen application version is more than 4 times faster).
sIBL_GUI can be toggled to fullscreen using the related option in the "Custom_Layouts" menu.
A patches mechanism has been implemented to allow migrations between sIBL_GUI versions.
The "logginWindow" component has been replaced by the "scriptEditor" component that allows direct interaction with sIBL_GUI.
The "databaseBackup" component has been integrated into the "db" component.
A database migration mechanism has been implemented using SQLAlchemy Migrate, it should allow database structure manipulation for future releases.
A new "databaseOperations" component has been introduced to allow manual database synchronization.
Adding / Renaming a collection using an empty name was possible, this incorrect behavior has been fixed.
A "Logging Formatter" preferences option has been added, allowing to choose between different logging formatters.
Added support for Templates strings: "nodePrefix = @nodePrefix | __Prefix__ | String | Node Prefix".
Added "-f / --loggingFormatter" command line parameter allowing logging formatter choice.
Added "-x / --startupScript" command line parameter allowing execution of an user script on startup.
Added "-t / --deactivateWorkerThreads" command line parameter allowing Worker Threads deactivation.
Renamed "-s / --noSplashScreen" command line parameter to "-s / --hideSplashScreen".
Package directories structure has been deeply reorganized.
Documentation has been updated and converted from textile to reStructuredText and is available in different flavors:
Sphinx documentation with chapters and API.
Inline monolitic file for HDRLabs.com.
A "defaultScript.py" file is provided to showcase a few high level API features.
Templates settings are now stored / restored in preferences folder for each template release.
Most Maya templates have been ported toward Python for better maintainability and performance.
3dsMax and Softimage / XSI templates have been refactored for better maintainability.
Most Templates allows the user to define the prefix the setup will use for better customization.
The Maya, 3dsMax, Softimage / XSI helper scripts have been refactored to be inline with sIBL_GUI 4.0.0 release.
A donations page has been added and is available here: http://kelsolaar.hdrlabs.com/sIBL_GUI/Support/Donations/Make_A_Donation.html

Maya, Softimage / XSI and 3dsMax Helper Scripts have been respectively refactored, updated and are available here:
http://www.hdrlabs.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1271609371/1#1

With this release I decided to add a donation page so that if you like the software and think it's worth something you can contribute to it's development: http://kelsolaar.hdrlabs.com/sIBL_GUI/Support/Donations/Make_A_Donation.html

I just released updated Lightsmith Ibl Sets and their VRay and Mental Ray Templates, you can grab the Templates using sIBL_GUI Online Updater and the Lightsmith Ibl Sets here: http://kelsolaar.hdrlabs.com/?dir=./sIBL_GUI/Repository/Sets/Lightsmith

Christian will upload them in HDRLabs Collection later.

Voila :)

KS

Kel Solaar

01-01-2012, 11:17 AM

Hi,

I just released sIBL_GUI 4.0.1 - Beta.

The most notable feature is that I rolled in the asynchronous threaded images loading code that should be very efficient with larges databases.
I also fixed an ugly memory leak related to an circular reference issue with Python interpreter ( http://bugs.python.org/issue1469629 ), not only the memory consumption should be slightly lower but the application should not slow down after an extensive use.
For those interested in details, that issue resulted in underlying nodes being duplicated and not cleared from memory, in some extreme case I had like over 3000 Ibl Sets Nodes sitting in memory whereas I should have under 100.

Notice that even if affixed as Beta the downloads have been put in the Stable directories.

Implemented asynchronous images loading in related sIBL_GUI components for increased speed and responsiveness.
A new **imagesCachesOperations** component has been introduced to allow images caches operations.
Dropped **NSIS** installer for **Actual Installer** ( http://www.actualinstaller.com/ ) on Windows Os.
Double clicking an Ibl Set in the **Database Browser"** component now opens the **Inspect** layout.
Prevented a subtle memory leak related to a Python interpreter issue ( http://bugs.python.org/issue1469629 ), slightly reducing memory consumption.
Prevented an exception in **Inspector** component when a plate was selected and the view attempted to store the current nodes selection.
Prevented an exception in **Inspector** component when current Ibl Set preview image doesn't exists.

Happy 2012 New Year!

KS

RagingBull

01-08-2012, 02:59 PM

I'll fire that notepad file back up again now that the new workstation is running, looking forwards to seeing all the hard work you've put into this again :applause:

Kel Solaar

01-08-2012, 09:13 PM

I'll fire that notepad file back up again now that the new workstation is running, looking forwards to seeing all the hard work you've put into this again :applause:

Hehe ok cool :)

I have started a survey if anyone interested can fill it, it takes literally 30 seconds :)

http://kelsolaar.polldaddy.com/s/sibl-gui-3d-softwares-usage-survey

Cheers,

KS

RagingBull

01-09-2012, 09:57 AM

Hehe ok cool :)

I have started a survey if anyone interested can fill it, it takes literally 30 seconds :)

http://kelsolaar.polldaddy.com/s/sibl-gui-3d-softwares-usage-survey

Cheers,

KS

I presume this is for the update features as well as the previous ones ?
I'll fill it out once I've fired up the computer :thumbsup:

3DRenderer

01-10-2012, 01:29 AM

I have started a survey if anyone interested can fill it, it takes literally 30 seconds :)
http://kelsolaar.polldaddy.com/s/sibl-gui-3d-softwares-usage-survey
Cheers,
KS

This release is considered as stable, bringing new features and fixing some issues. I'm putting the development in maintenance and will only release for blocking issues for a few months since I have some others personal projects to run!

The main feature of that build is the new notifications manager that will lead to a reduced number of clicks, and less clicks is better :)

Why do i keep getting the error:
# Error: AttributeError: 'module' object has no attribute 'launchApplication'

chafouin

05-03-2012, 11:06 PM

Hey KelSolaar,

I'm trying to import a lightsmith light, when I copy and execute the python script that was created using maya mental ray lightsmith template (I use maya 2012), nothing happens in maya. And if I use the remote connection, I get:

"sIBL_GUI | Non Template compatible Ibl Set provided: Unpredictable results may occur! Would you like to proceed anyway?"

and only half of the light setup is imported, since I get a runtime error during the execution.

I haven't tried importing non-lightsmith sIBLs though, but maybe you have an idea of what the problem is.

Thanks.

Kel Solaar

05-03-2012, 11:43 PM

Hi,

Most likely because you used a regular Template with a Lightsmith Ibl Set. Please double check the selected Template, and let me know if it solved your issue.

Cheers,

KS

chafouin

05-04-2012, 08:26 AM

It was the right template, but I think my IBL sets were outdated (I must have imported them on a sIBL_GUI 3.x version). I deleted them then reimported them and it worked.

Thanks for your help :)

Kel Solaar

07-13-2012, 08:38 AM

Bumping sIBL_GUI threads to avoid archiving.

KS

nbreslow

07-13-2012, 03:23 PM

Bumping sIBL_GUI threads to avoid archiving.

KS

Great tool, love it!

-NB

Kel Solaar

11-28-2012, 12:15 AM

Hello,

sIBL_GUI 4.0.3 is out!

While the minor version has only been bumped by a digit ( 4.0.2 to 4.0.3 ) this is actually an important major build code wise.
A lot of stuff have been reworked under the hood, sIBL_GUI is faster, cleaner and better.

Improvements have been introduced here and there making it more user friendly:

New slick Ui theme.
Yes / No To All for various dialogs.
Ability to purge the Database from invalid entries.
Views default message.
Wizard when no Templates are found.
Support for multiple concurrent instances ( Although it's not recommended for Database integrity ).
Exceptions reporter.

sIBL_GUI can now act as a TCP server and / or client and be remote controlled or remote control other TCP servers through the new TCP Client Ui and TCP Server Ui Components, for instance I use it at work to communicate with Katana and Maya.

An exceptions reporter that will keep us informed whenever the application encounters an unhandled exception using https://www.crittercism.com/ has been implemented.

sIBL_GUI is now also a proper Python Package available from here:
http://pypi.python.org/pypi/sIBL_GUI.

If you have Python, PyQt and pip, you can install it issuing:

pip install sIBL_GUI

Now for the fun stats, this release represents:

Around 580 commits over 5 repositories ( Not accounting the various tests not version controlled or discarded ).
Around 275000 lines changed.
Took around 6 months to complete ( Although I had a quieter rhythm compared to the 4.0.0 release ).

Great update - rock solid, thanks so much for your continued work on sIBL.

Any plans to integrate sIBL_Edit into sIBL_GUI? Or update sIBL_Edit?

Great stuff, thanks again.

-NB

Kel Solaar

11-29-2012, 07:22 PM

Great update - rock solid, thanks so much for your continued work on sIBL.

Any plans to integrate sIBL_Edit into sIBL_GUI? Or update sIBL_Edit?

Great stuff, thanks again.

-NB

Cheers! Much appreciated!

As far as sIBLedit goes, I'm tempted to say no because its being developed by another person and its closed source, I wish I could do it though!

KS

nbreslow

11-30-2012, 03:20 PM

Hi Kel,

Ahh, I remember - it was developed by Chris Huf? I think he used to have a website with the software on it. Here's to hoping he changes his mind on that. It hasn't been worked on in a while and is available for free anyways..would be nice to see it up on GitHub witht he other sIBL stuff. I am appreciative he has made it available for free at all, so don't want to complain.

Again, good stuff and thanks for sharing.

-Nick

Kel Solaar

12-02-2012, 01:23 PM

Hi!

The Crittercism reports are working quite well and allowed me to iron out another batch of issues for sIBL_GUI 4.0.5! Hopefully you should see the reporter popping less and less.

Some users have been reported that sIBL_GUI stopped working for them yesterday, apparently an Avast update was the cause, if it happens to you, double check that your antivirus software is not in cause.

sIBL_GUI access the Web for two things ( It's maybe that behaviour that gets flagged as dangerous by Avast ):

Online version checking.
Exception / crashes reporting.

Voila!

KS

Kel Solaar

01-27-2013, 04:04 PM

Hello!

sIBL_GUI 4.0.6 is out!

This release is mainly a maintenance release ironing out some issues reported through Crittercism.

Windows build now also have a Console executable that will come handy whenever sIBL_GUI doesn't start, Mac Os X should also verbose to the Console by default.